Braking shuttles in loom shuttle box

ABSTRACT

Method and device for braking shuttles in loom shuttle box whereby a shuttle is braked by contact with a belt supported by a pair of rollers.

[ 1 June 20, 1972 United States Patent Porter S m C k S m U m L N I m u wB mm AU [72] 1mm: fi g sfi z fi Lustmu' 2,081,319 5/1937 2,012,050 8/1935 Payne.....

Adolph Saurer Ltd., Arbon/TG, Switzerland [73] Assignee:

[22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 65,442

Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney-Browdy and Neimark [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 28, 1969 Switzerland 1 3025/69 ABSTRACT Method and device for braking shuttles in loom shuttle box "139/ 185 whereby a shuttle is braked by contact with a belt supported .........................D03d b a air of rollers 139/185,l86,l87, 183,184

[52] U5. [51] InLCl. [58] FieldoiSearch...................

4 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEDJMQ m2 3,670,775

INVENTOR.

Allan William Henry Porter BM M BRAKING SHUTTLES 1N LOOM SHUTTLE BOX The present invention concerns a method for the braking of shuttles in the shuttle box of looms whereby the shuttle is forced into driving contact with a means capable or rotation which is thus caused to rotate, and further concerns a disclosure for the application of this method.

In known looms in which shuttles fly free from the shuttle box on one side of the loom to the shuttle box on the other side of the loom, the shuttle is slowed down from its entry speed to a residual fraction thereof by friction brakes arranged in the shuttle box. At that residual speed, the shuttle then hits against a stop, which may be fitted to the picking device. The friction brake often consists of one of the side walls of the shuttle box, which is provided with a brake lining and resiliently presses the shuttle against a fixed backing wall serving as a guide wall.

In this type of shuttle-braking system, vibrations of the yielding wall, changes in the brake lining due to temperature or wear, etc., tend to cause variations in the braking effect, so that the impact speed of the shuttle hitting the stop may vary considerably, occasionally resulting in rebound. Also, if braking exclusive the shuttle may not reach its limit position at all. Accordingly, the position of the shuttle at standstill is also subject to variation, which may cause trouble at bobbin change or at picking. As the pressure of the yielding wall on the shuttle and the friction coefficient of the brake lining are subject to natural limits, this type of shuttle braking system also sets a limit to the shuttle speed and thus to the maximum working rate of the loom.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to overcome the defects of the prior art. such as indicated above.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide a method which eliminates the drawbacks described and in particular ensures, in a very simple manner, that the standstill position of the shuttle is invariably the same.

These objects are achieved by transmitting kinetic energy from the shuttle to an unbraked system of masses so that, when the shuttle hits the stop, the moving system of masses holds the shuttle against the stop until the system, braked in particular by the shuttle, has converted its energy into heat and come to rest.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for the application of the above described method. in one embodiment, the device comprises a system of masses comprising two rolls which are arranged one behind the other preferably in the movement direction of the shuttle and which are interconnected by a transmission belt whereof one course runs at least approximately parallel to the movement direction of the shuttle; this device is characterized in that the roll nearer to loom shed is mounted on a fixed axis and has less rotation inertia, while the roll further from the loom shed is resiliently displaceable towards the first roll and has greater rotation inertia. Further, the space delimited by the belt is free at least immediately behind the course coming into contact with the shuttle. According to another embodiment of the invention, the rolls may be mounted in a frame or a case which can pivot towards the shuttle or away therefrom and which is translationally movable perpendicularly to the shuttle move ment direction.

For a better understanding of this invention, a possible embodiment thereof is illustrated by way of example in the following description and the accompanying drawing, which shows a perspective and partly cut-away view of a device for the application of the method described. It is to be understood that this embodiment is merely exemplary and in no way limitative.

Referring to the drawing there is seen part of a shuttle 1 moving from the loom shed towards the shuttle box as indicated by an arrow 2, and carrying a weft bobbin 3. Rigidly fixed to the shuttle box base 4 is a lateral guide wall 5 for the shuttle l. Opposite the wall 5 is a box-type or frame-type unit 6 which is also rigidly fixed to the shuttle box base 4. The wall 34 of the unit 6 facing the guide wall 5 presents an angled-off or inclined entrance surface 7 and a window 8. Projecting through the window 8 into the shuttle box is a belt 11 carried around two rolls or rollers 9 and 10.

The rolls 9 and 10 are supported by pins or axles 12 and 13 which in turn are mounted in a frame 14 which is supported against the rear wall 36 of the unit 6 by springs 15, 16, whose pressure is adjustable by screws 17, 18. The frame 14 is guided in the direction perpendicular to the shuttle box base 4 by bottom and top surfaces of the unit 6, and in the direction of the shuttle movement by sliding pins 38 sliding in corresponding holes 39 in the rear wall 36 of the unit 6, the guidance being such as to permit the support frame 14 to pivot about axes perpendicular to the shuttle box base 4.

The distance by which the belt 1 1 projects through the window 8 into the shuttle box is set by a tab at each end of the frame 14 only the one such tab 19 is being shown, each in conjunction with a wing (only the wing 21 is shown) of a doublearm lever. The two levers 23, 24 which are actuated, for example, by earns 41 and 42.

Seated on the pin 13 of the roll 10 and connected thereto with drive-transmitting effect are exchangeable fly-weights 25, 25', 25". The connection between pin 13 and fly-weights 25, 25', 25" may be rigid or elastic. The tension of the belt 11 is produced by a spring 26 which rests on one side against a fixed transverse wall 27 of the support frame 14 and which acts on the other side on a C-shaped bearing plate 29 of the pin 13 which is displaceable in a longitudinal slot 28 of the support 14.

A picker 31 fixed to a picking arm 32 projects through an opening 30 in the shuttle box base 4 into the picking plane. Arranged behind the picker 31 and the picking am 32 is a buffer 33 acting as a stop.

The action of the device is as follows:

Coming from the loom shed, the shuttle 1 enters the space defined by the shuttle box base 4, the guide wall 5 and the front surface of the belt 1 1, in which process the inclined surface 7 facilitates the entry of the shuttle 1. The belt 11, being part of the spring-loaded support 14, presses the shuttle 1 against the guide wall 5. At the moment when the shuttle 1 makes contact with the belt 11, the latter is at standstill. it would, of course, be possible instead to give the system of masses (belt 11, rolls 9 and 10 with fly-weights 25, 25', 25". an assisting or opposing energy by running the belt 11 in the same or the opposite direction with respect to the entering shuttle, in order to give the braking process some other pattern. The belt 11 and, accordingly, the fly-weights 25, 25', 25", are accelerated by the frictional force arising at the contact surfaces between the said belt and the shuttle 1, until, for instance, the peripheral speed of the belt is identical with the speed of the shuttle 1 being slowed. This speed depends on the moment of inertia of the fly-weights 25, 25, 25" co-moved with the belt 11; it can be given the value desired by suitable selection of the fly-weights. The friction in particular of the shuttle l at the fixed guide wall 5 and that in the bearing of the rolls 9 and 10 and at the belt 11 itself absorbs kinetic energy, so that the speed of the moving system comprising shuttle, belt, rolls and fly-weights diminishes. This braking action is in the nature of things and will inherently occur in the system. Continuing its movement, the shuttle 1 hits with its tip against the picker 31, which rests against the buffer 33. The belt 11, and, accordingly, the fly-weights 25, 25' and 25" are brought to a standstill, mainly by the frictional force arising between belt and the now stopped shuttle 1, so that the shuttle is pressed against the picker and positively held in its limit position.

The braking course of the belt 11 projects into the shuttle box far enough for the entering shuttle l to touch the belt in the zone of its tip. Because the rolls 9 and 10 are mounted in the support 14 which is moveable perpendicularly to the direction of the shuttle 1 and parallel to the shuttle box base 4, because of the special arrangement of the rolls in that the roll 9 nearer the loom shed is fixedly-mounted in the support frame 14 and has less inertia, while the roll 10 farther away from the loom shed is resiliently mounted in the support 14 and has greater inertia and because the course of the belt facing the shuttle is movable toward and away therefrom, the effect is that when the belt 1 l is pushed back in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction by the thickness of the shuttle 1 the roll 10 is pulled against the pressure of the spring 26 towards the roll 9 by the other course being tensioned by the braking course being pushed back.

The braking course is deformed before the point of contact with the shuttle to form a wave trending towards the shuttle tip. The braking course can thus hug the shape of the shuttle with its contact surface.

To ensure that the belt 11 together with the fly-weights 25, 25', 25" has no impeding effect when the shuttle l is propelled by the picking arm 32 for the next pick, the support 14 is withdrawn into the unit 6 by the cams 41, 42, setting by double-arm levers 22, 24.

It is also possible to arrange in place of the guide wall another complete belt braking system as described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification.

I claim:

1. Method for the braking of shuttles in a shuttle box of a loom whereby the shuttle is brought into driving contact with a rotation-movable system of masses, which it thus causes to rotate, characterized in that the shuttle is caused to transmit kinetic energy to an unbraked system of masses which, when the shuttle hits the stop, holds the shuttle against the stop until the said system of masses, braked in particular by the shuttle, has converted its energy into heat and come to rest.

2. Device for the braking of shuttles in a shuttle box of a loom comprising a rotation-movable system of masses wherein said system of masses comprises a first roll and a second roll arranged behind the first roll in the movement direction of the shuttle, said rolls being interconnected by a transmission belt whereof one course is at least approximately parallel to the movement direction of the shuttle, said first roll being fixedly mounted and said second roll being resiliently displaceable towards said first roll and having a greater rotation inertia than said first roll.

3. Device according to claim 2 wherein free space is provided immediately behind the course of said belt coming into contact with the shuttle.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein said rolls are mounted in a frame which is mounted floatably movable perpendicularly to the shuttle movement direction.

i t i 

1. Method for the braking of shuttles in a shuttle box of a loom whereby the shuttle is brought into driving contact with a rotation-movable system of masses, which it thus causes to rotate, characterized in that the shuttle is caused to transmit kinetic energy to an unbraked system of masses which, when the shuttle hits the stop, holds the shuttle against the stop until the said system of masses, braked in particular by the shuttle, has converted its energy into heat and come to rest.
 2. Device for the braking of shuttles in a shuttle box of a loom comprising a rotation-movable system of masses wherein said system of masses comprises a first roll and a second roll arranged behind the first roll in the movement direction of the shuttle, said rolls being interconnected by a transmission belt whereof one course is at least approximately parallel to the movement direction of the shuttle, said first roll being fixedly mounted and said second roll being resiliently displaceable towards said first roll and having a greater rotation inertia than said first roll.
 3. Device according to claim 2 wherein free space is provided immediately behind the course of said belt coming into contact with the shuttle.
 4. Device according to claim 2, wherein said rolls are mounted in a frame which is mounted floatably movable perpendicularly to the shuttle movement direction. 